Mclaren P1

“It’s the new F1” said an excited Jay Leno after his first test drive of the latest creation out of Mclaren. A rather bold but also credible statement considering Jay now owns both of them. McLaren planned for a production of 375 specimens making it even rarer than the LaFerrari. One vehicle a day, assembled in 10 individual steps by a workforce of 61 people.

The numbers are impressive, 916 bhp shoving a total weight 1.400 kg, placing the P1 ahead of the 918 Spyder but slightly behind it the prancing horse.
In 0 to 300 km/h the P1 is a stunning 5 seconds quicker than the McLaren F1.

As the F1, the P1 is a rear-wheel drive mid-engine vehicle built around McLarens famous carbon fibre monocoque. It features a hybrid-system derived from Formula 1 technology; a heavy modified version of the twin-turbocharged V8 found in the MP4-12c delivering 727 bhp combined with an electric motor adding an extra 176 bph. It is no problem driving the P1 like a Toyota Prius, silent all the way up to 110 km/h. The Battery can either be charged by the petrol engine or by plug in-equipment. Nifty F1 features can be found on the P1, for instance Instant Power Assist System (IPAS), which gives instant boost from the electric motor and a Drag Reduction System (DRS) which controls the rear wing. Both of these systems are controlled via the steering wheel.

It looks absolutely sensational and I really appreciate the ferociousness in design the P1 has over its predecessors. Trimmed long wheelhouses, wide aggressive racing lines combined with two-tone paintjobs makes for a cold-blooded appearance.

P1’s destined for America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East has already been sold; only a few ones destined for Europe remain. Starting out at 1 million euros the average sale price so far is almost 1.2 million euros since 90% of the owners order customization. I eagerly await the comparison to the LaFerrari we are bound to see.